Two of our biggest prayer warriors

We want to end the year with this last post - honoring two of our biggest prayer warriors whom I caught in action when we were there last at their house.  I thank God for parents who have backed us in every way, especially through their prayers.  We know we have many others who pray regularly for us, but I wanted to honor these - especially since Dad just had a birthday on Dec. 25!  Happy Birthday Dad, and thanks for all you have done and do for us.  (You too, Mom)

Pastor Kenede starts a group

Part of the idea of the mentoring groups is that new groups be formed.  Pastor Kenede from my group just started a group a few months ago to bless other pastors in his area.  Here we are shooting the breeze at the fellowship time last week.  Kenede is getting married in early January to his sweetheart. 

Pastors' End of the Year fellowship

We had a great time with the pastors from the various mentoring groups out at Camp Paradise this past Monday.  A group of around 100 came out.  Some braver ones went on the kayak adventure, but all had good fellowship.  My group is known as the rowdy group... Can't explain why!

Couples' Christmas Banquet

Friday we had a great event for the couples put on by that ministry's leadership.  All did a great job for the event to be a success.  It was held in a Hotel on Piedade's beach front.  Pastor Claudio brought a neat message on keeping the romance in our marriages.  Some couples presented a special moment to their spouses like singing a song or reciting a poem.  Others wrote cards or brought gifts to each other.  Again we were glad to have visitors present.  

Youth Talent Night

We had a great youth talent night Saturday.  Lots of fun with 85 out to the event. The special speaker brought a message and testimony from the parable of the talents.  He is a twenty-something young man who just underwent heart surgery a few months ago.  Our niece Patricia was celebrating her 15th Birthday too on the occasion so that added a special flavor to the evening as well.

Outback Children's Day

Thanks to all who prayed for Koinonia's trip to the Outback city of Ingazeira.  It was our tenth year to do this special program for the children of the city.  Many believe it was the best trip yet. The road to the city is now paved from the main road in, so that helped a lot.  God has plans for many of these young lives in this needy city.  Pray that fruit will remain.

Children's Day at Koinonia

A great day for the children at Koinonia.  Two big inflatable toys were lots of fun.  The trampoline type one was a donation to church, so we will have it for other events.  It also gets to go to the Outback next week.  We had a good number of visitors with their kids, which is always an encouragement because of all the work that goes into these events.  Thanks for praying! 

A Man from "Loneliness"

A few years ago I met Mr. Fausto.  He is from the city of Solidão in the Outback.  He was interviewed on a big TV network here about the city he lives in.  The special was about loneliness which is what the city is called.  Mr. Fausto is known in his community for his good works and compassion.  One thing he admitted was that he still felt an emptiness in his life.  Various ones have shared with him that Christ can fill that loneliness.  It just goes to show how the Gospel of Christ is so important to be understood and accepted.  Please pray for him and the many others in the Outback that a religious but somehow miss the Gospel in its essence.  

Conclusion of Good Soil course

Last Saturday the group finished up the "Good Soil" training course with Dan.  It was the first time we offered it to our church leaders at Koinonia.  We had offered it to a group of pastors a while back and the enthusiasm was high.  Pray this tool will be a blessing in the work of evangelism and discipleship in Brazil. 

First Week of 40 Days of Fasting and Prayer

Koinonia is dedicating 40 days to fasting and prayer.  Some are giving up a meal a day or some type of food.  Others are fasting internet activities of some sort or TV watching for certain hours, or all together.  The goal is to draw closer to God and seek His will as well as pray for missions in  Brazil's Outback region, and the health of our families.  

Good Soil for Koinonia

Today and next Saturday we are having our Good Soil course for our church leaders and members with Dan Cook.  This first day has gone well and we have a group of 23 doing the course. The fruits will be long lasting as each one puts into practice this evangelism and discipleship tool.

Former Koinonia deacon's visit

We had a nice time with Edinho and Almirene recently as they were here on vacation.  Edinho was a deacon at Koinonia and was transfered with the Brazilian army to Manaus around three years ago.  This was a meal at our house with two of our current deacons and wives.  Edinho and his wife are praying about the possibility of  returning to Recife to live in the future.

June Baptism

What a joy to baptize 15 recently at Koinonia.  It was a joyous occasion with various ages represented.  One of the ones I had the privilege of baptizing was my niece Dani Cook.

Flooding in our State

It must seem ironic, but we are in a state that from time to time experiences draught & flooding - the two extremes.  Usually the flooding is closer to the coast which is our case now.  A pastor from my mentoring group just sent our church a plea to help his home town that was hard hit by these recent floods.  I saw that even CNN headlines featured our state of Pernambuco today.  Here are some pictures Pastor Paulo took the other day.  We are gathering food and clothes from our friends in Recife to help these folks.  Please pray for those suffering great losses.  There have been dozens of deaths and hundreds reported missing.

I've just got to make another post as, like I said, a lot is going on.  We recently added a good group of new members and wanted to show you pictures of most of them.  We had another couple join too who was not pictured and and and a young lady too.  This Sunday we will also baptize 15, so pray for these as well.  Marcy and I have been very tired, but happy :) 

Events and Prayer

We've had lots going on, and need to update you a bit.  We had a great couples' dinner and were especially excited to have Anne's parents go to the event with her.  Mike was already back in the States.  We had other visitors - and even a couple had a renewing of their vows.  They are a couple who are friends of our church and  haven't missed one of our events for couples since we started this new "Ankorados" ministry.

New Friend in the Outback

On my latest trip to the Outback I was introduced to Carlos, the new owner of the small hotel we have stayed in many times in Afogados da Ingazeira.  He also owns a furniture factory that employs over 100 people.  I was impressed with the modern computerized equipment in the factory and to meet a new friend with an open heart and a genuine concern for his community.  

Praising God for a great Easter Play

We are praising God for a great four nights with our Easter play.  We had near 600 out for the production.  This time we didn't have many church groups so had more friends and family of our members.  Lots of people who have not yet professed Christ as Lord and Savior.  So let's keep praying some will be reminded of all they heard and saw. 

Easter Play

Here's our poster for the upcoming Easter Play.  Marcy directs this production and wrote the script.  This is always a highlight at Koinonia and excitement is ever present in all the preparation.  We ask all to unite with us in prayer for those days, as so many things could go wrong that it takes a miracle for everything to work like a clock.  The four nights are April 1-4.  

Taking ABWE's Good Soil Course to Outback

Dan and Carlos and I just got back yesterday from a trip the outback where Dan gave three presentations to pastors and missionaries in the Outback of the "Good Soil" materials.  We are hoping to do this training in at least two places out there this year.  The course is now in various languages and has been very well received as a new tool for evangelism and discipleship.  It is good to have this quality material that can help evangelize various cultural levels and in many cultural contexts.

Celebrating the Differences

Here are a few pictures of the last event for couples. There is a lot of enthusiasm at these events and this one was no exception. The theme was: "Celebrating the Differences".  It's so easy to forget the things that attracted us to our sweetheart and begin to make the differences a point of tension. Various unsaved husbands were at the event as well as new-comers and friends of our couples. 

Summer Splash for Youth

We started our summer youth ministry up again with a big "splash" as we had an inflated soccer court set up with soap and water to make things slick for the teams. Our pastor friend Bona was here with his surf board to speak to the young people about commitment to Christ and how life as a disciple can be exciting and challenging. It was a neat time with over a hundred out for the event.  Then in the evening we had an event for our couples with 25+ couples. A busy but very rewarding day.

Wedding in the Outback

Pastor Carlos was able to celebrate his first wedding in the Outback in December. He has been recovering slowly but well from his surgery. There was another man that was saved in Ingazeira recently that had been a real critic and very skeptical prior to this.  We will probably try to post a photo of him in the future. 

Brazilian Missionaries team up with ABWE

We got this Christmas greeting card from Brazilian Missionary and dentist Carlos Heron. We were blessed to have him present his plans to work in Gambia along side ABWE in the clinic. He has a real heart for God and for missionary work and our Koinonia folks are hoping we can help in his support.  So please pray for this dear family and for our missionary funds at Koinonia.